thorns tires

[ArnieinChesterfieldVa]

I have about 2 acres of blackberry bushes on my property that produce tremendously. The problem all along has been that nobody can get at the berries in the center of these patches because it's so typically thorny. I'm talking thorns that can be 3/4" long and thick.

My thoughts are to bushhog strips down through about every 10 feet to make paths for access to the berries. I've been told to do it early one morning when the dew is heavy so the thorns will be soft enough not to penetrate the tires. Have y'all ever heard of this happening? My thoughts were til I hear talk that those tires would be too tough for a thorn to even think of penetrating.

Straighten me up here. Is it possible if a tire is not dry-rotted? My rears are like new, however the fronts on my row crop 60 ARE dry-rotted and I'm going to replace them soon. I know on a dry-rotted tire it's possible but what about "like new"?

Arnie

 

[Big_Roy]

The only thorns I've ever had problems with on tractor tires, are Locust thorns.

 

[rlp]

Would backing thru the patch chop up the thorns before the tires roll over them be a good idea?

 

[FarmerDevin]

I've had one, 1 inch long, 1/8 inch thick thorn apple thorns in a rear tire before.

 

[hoosier boy]

I have bushoged lots of blackberry canes with no problem. Probably a good idea to back into them but you are unlikely to shread all the thorns. I believe they must be softer than the locust thorns the other fellow mentions. I have had lots of problems with those.

 

[wilamayb]

I dont think you will have any problems with the blackberries, but those honey locust will cause you a problem.

 

[Sam Vastano]

Multiflora Rose is a nightmare in our area. Huge vines and hard thorns. Backing over them first helps!

 

[Bob in Oakboro]

I had a flat on my front 3 rib tires. Tires are less than 10 years old. I was mowing down some wild black berry bushes. The thorn went through the valley of the 3 rib tire and penetrated the tube. I have mowed some more in the past couple of weeks with no problems. (But I did pick out several thorns from the rubber when I finished.)

 

[ArnieinChesterfieldVa]

Sounds like for the mostpart I shouldn't worry too much about the rear tires being penetrated. As far as the front, I'm about to replace them anyway being they're dry-rotted.

As far as backing up with the bushhog, I'm only running a 4' bushhog so either way the tractor tires are going to run over thorns. I've got my 60 rear wheels set at 7' outside to outside.

Sure am glad I'm not fighting Locust from listening to y'all.

Thanks for the comebacks.

Arnie

 

[east_tex]

Aircraft tires dont go flat as easily. You might want to check out the link.
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[johndeerefan]

Everyone is correct. Locust thorns are the worst thing to happen to a tractor tire. They break off in the rubber between the treads and over time penetrate into the tube. Yes, even the rear tires. I had two locust trees and they caused me to replace all four tires. I got tired of taking them off and patching the tubes. The worst problem is that you will never be able to pull all the thorns out from the inside of the tire when fixing the tube. You think you have them all, till 3 months later and another pops the tube.

I am not sure about the thorns you are talking about. Locust thorns are my only enemy. Needless to say, now I stay away from them.

 

[alabamafrog]

This is the main reason Dad hates to buy a new tractor tire. He always complains more about the thorn flats than the price of the tire.
The old dry rotted tires are much harder and resist thorns. It seems like every time we buy a new tire we have lots of flats because the thorns penetrate the new soft rubber more easily.
For this reason we try to use the tractor with the oldest and driest tires for any thorny work.

 

[buickanddeere]

The little 5:00-15's on the front of the 435 cost enough to foam but it was worth every cent.